Envelope



(Model.)

J,. H. WEAVER.

1, BNVELOPB. n 1510.288881. l Patented Oct. 16, 1883.

Y NITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. vVEAVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,881, dated October 16, 188B. i

Application filed March 24, 1882.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

`Be it known that I, JAMES II. WEAVER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelopes, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure I is a perspective of an envelope or packet embodying my in- Io vention. Fig. 2 is a face view of the blank, and also indicates the mode of cutting it from the sheets.` Fig. 3 is a vertical central crosssection of the completed envelope or packet; and Fig. 4 and 5 are perspectives showing slight modifications of construction.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts. The object of my invention is to make a seamless envelope or packet which may be fastened A or closed securely enough to contain the con- 2o Atents with certainty, and which, without being unfastened, may be so manipulated as to expose the contents to view.

In the drawings, A represents a blank or sheet eut in form for being folded to produce one of my envelopes or" packets. The broken lines a a a a indicate where the blank is tobe folded. Four leaves or wings, a a and c c, are thus Y formed. Between these leaves are the notches b b, and the corners of the leaves 3c are beveled, as shown. These beveled parts or edges of the smaller leaves a are pointed and meet cach other. The leaves a a are not so pointed as the leaves a a, and are longer than those, which are as shown. I paint a coat 3 5 of mucilage along the outer edge or end of one of the leaves a a', as shown at c, and allow the inucilage to become dry before folding the envelope. This blank, when folded, will make an oblong envelope, as shown in Fig. l. To finish: 4o the envelope I simply fold it along the lines indicated, but do not fasten or seal it at any part until I have-use for it.Y I then lay back or unfold the naps or wings, and arrange the matcrial to be inclosed in such position that it will 4 5 be covered when the flaps are again folded. The end fiaps or wings, a a, are short enough not to lap each other when folded in, and areV or wings cda. The contents will be securely confined in 'the folded envelope or packet by (Model.)

`ing it down upon the opposite flap or wing, to

which it will adhere, thus connecting the two outer iiaps or wingstogether. This connection,

however, leaves the envelope or packet in such condition that, by merely' pinching or pressing in' its longitudinal edges, it will be spread apart or opened enough to admit of the contents being viewed by looking in at the end of the packet, the contents not being wholly covered by the'interior'flaps or wings, and the outer wings being then arched up above the contents and interior wings, as indicated in Fig. 3. At the same time the contents are retained in the packet. A great variety of goods may thus be mailed in these packages, and the goods ,or contents may be viewed bythe postmasters without. breaking the packages for that purpose. The expense and inconvenience, there fore, of shipping goods by mail is much diminished.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of conf struction, which consists merely in gumming 7 5' the longitudinal edges of both wings a a', one being gummed on one side, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, and the other on the'other or opposite side, as shown at c in Fig. 4. I also perforate the upper wing along the edge of its gummed portion, as shown at c. By this means /the address of the consignee may be written, as usual, on one side of the package and the address of the consigner on the other. The package may be easily unsealed bythe consi gnee by breaking it open along the line c, when the contents may be removed. The integrity of the envelop e, however, is not thereby destroyed, but may be folded reversely and again sealed, as if gummedonly as shown in Fig. 2, thus bringing the address of the consignee on the outside. In other words, the modification shown in Fig. 3 makes the envelope a return package without destroying its identity and without material change in construction. The gummed portion of one gummed wing overlaps or lies beyond the gummed portion of its fel-l lpw when the envelope is folded for being sealed, as will be perceived, each of such wings then overlapping the central longitudinal line of the body or part between the leaves.

In Fig. 5 I have shown amodiflcation of construction, the modication consisting in slitting or slotting one of the wings or aps a a Soif' longitudinally, as' shown at d, to admit of the` y there is much saving in material, for if the blanks were so eut that a line passing longitudinally through them would be at right angles to the edges of the sheet from which the blanks were eut there would be niuch more waste.

It is not essential that the notches b b should be eut, as the paper may be folded, as described, when no notches .are so made. rIhe loose or ungunnned flaps or wings may also be drawn out and replaced, in order that the contents may be viewed, and again 'conned Y I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi A return envelope or p acket, made of paper, and consisting of a-central portion or body having thereon two Vopposite wings or flaps, a af, adapted to overlap each other, and also two opposite wings or flaps, a a, the wings a a being gumined on opposite sides, respectively, along their edges, whereby the said envelope or packet, after being once sealed, and after having its seal broken, may be again sealed and utilized by having its iaps folded in the opposite or reverse direction from that in which they were first folded, substantially as and for the purposes specified. y Y

JAMES H. VEAVER. Vitnesses PETER L. GROOT, MARTIN BEEN. 

